'KEEP PARKING FREE IN SOUTH GLOS'

Victory follows staunch defence of free parking by Conservative councillors in face of Labour and LibDem pressure

Conservative councillors have forced Labour and Liberal Democrat councillors to back down from moves to force through pricey parking charges after they launched a staunch defence of free parking across the district.

A special ‘call-in’ meeting of the Council’s Planning, Transportation and Strategic Environment (PTSE) Select Committee was held on Monday 9 March after Labour and Liberal Democrat councillors challenged a decision by the Conservative transport chief to reject paid-for parking permits.

The official rejection followed an investigation by council officers into the permits, which showed numerous downsides, including the cost to those on low and fixed incomes, the displacement of cars into neighbouring streets and the threat to the free schemes that operate in some parts of Thornbury and Kingswood.

The proposed scheme would have seen residents being charged between £80 and £120 for a permit, which would not have even guaranteed them a space in their road, let alone outside their own home.

Conservative councillors rounded on opposition councillors for planning to introduce an additional tax on motorists and pointed to their ‘Keep Parking Free in South Gloucestershire’ website (www.keepparkingfreeinsouthglos.co.uk) which has been inundated with comments in support of the Conservative commitment made at the 2007 local elections to keep parking free.

Cllr Brian Allinson, the Council’s Conservative transport chief:

“After much persuasion, it does appear that Labour and Liberal Democrat councillors are beginning to back down from what looked like support for pricey parking permits, especially after I was able to highlight the numerous emails that have been received from those residents opposed to being made to pay to park outside their own home.

 Labour and Liberal Democrat councillors appear to have accepted the numerous downsides associated with pricey parking permits and instead support the Council’s efforts to explore other ways to address the parking difficulties that exist in some areas.

This needs to be done in a way that doesn’t punish those residents on low and fixed incomes and is consistent with the promise that the Conservative councillors made to keep parking free.”

Cllr Ian Smith, the Conservative spokesman on the PTSE Select Committee, launched the ‘Keep Parking Free in South Glos’ website. He added:

“What happened today is a victory for the hard-pressed council tax payer.

Bringing in residents parking charges would have shown the Council to be completely out-of-touch with the pressures that local households are currently feeling.

I would to thank the many residents that signed our online petition at www.keepparkingfreeinsouthglos.co.uk because we were able to demonstrate to Labour and Liberal Democrat councillors the scale of opposition there is to what many would view as another form of car tax.

Keeping parking free was a key Conservative election promise and this pledge is even more important now in these tough economic times because we shouldn’t be adding to the financial woes of our residents and businesses.”

In what was a significant climb-down, the Council’s PTSE Select Committee merely resolved to ask the Executive Member to continue the Council’s work in exploring other alternatives to address parking difficulties.